SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Yonhap) -- Behind South Korea's ultra-fast delivery systems are tens of thousands of workers on overnight shifts, bringing everything from food to daily necessities to customers' doorsteps each morning.
Director Roh Young-wan's debut feature "Halo" captures the daily grind of Min-joon (Choi Gang-hyun), a 27-year-old delivery driver who dreams of becoming a filmmaker one day.
He works graveyard shifts and is always on the go, taking short breaks for discount meals bought at convenience stores. His only sanctuary is the rear of his small van, where he takes naps, dries wet clothes and towels and writes in his journal.
Min-joon's family is not in any way a rock of support for the young and diligent man. His parents often end up at the police station over brawls triggered by his father's drinking, while his older brother struggles with borderline intelligence, unable to get a decent job.
This still, provided by Helicon Studio, shows a scene from the Korean film "Halo." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Despite the tough reality, Min-joon maintains a kind demeanor, apologizing to customers chiding him with no hard feelings and even bringing one of his discount meals to a lonely customer who appears to have cut herself off from the world.
Not once does the young man complain to his parents or his older brother, as he considers supporting his unhelpful family as one of his many responsibilities.
Being a kind person, Min-joon helps a mysterious elderly man (Lee Jae-yong) asking him for directions. The man turns out to be an astrologer, and eventually Min-joon visits his house to have his fortune read.
The astrologer tells him that he sees a certain halo that appears in the fate of artists in Min-joon's stars, but he must leave South Korea and all the responsibilities he carries here for the halo to appear.
This prompts the young delivery driver to devise a plan to go abroad, carefully and hopefully calculating how much he would need and even asking for extra delivery jobs to meet the budget.
This still, provided by Helicon Studio, shows a scene from the Korean film "Halo." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
But the faint glimmer of hope is shattered as Min-joon gets a phone call from the police station telling him that his older brother has been involved in an unexpected event.
His plan to head abroad apparently falls through as the young worker has to even consider selling his only van to save his brother.
Throughout the film, "Halo" sustains a stark mood with scarce background music that effectively amplifies the sounds of labor: wheels rolling, boxes being carried and the humming of cars.
A bulk of the film also unfolds in a hand-held camera shot, portraying the daily grind of a delivery driver more realistically.
This still, provided by Helicon Studio, shows a scene from the Korean film "Halo." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The film's documentary-like style is an effective tool in capturing the daily life of Min-joon but the amount of time it spends on showing him work may feel stretched at times.
Roh, the director, has said he hopes the film can invite audiences to reflect on the world we live in and the many different lives in it amid the film's silence and discomfort.
"Halo" won Best Film in the Asian Future section for rising directors at the Tokyo International Film Festival last year, marking the first such win for a Korean film.
It is set for release Wednesday.
This still, provided by Helicon Studio, shows a scene from the Korean film "Halo." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)